Sudan

The crisis in Sudan

The Sudanese people have endured decades of conflict, including the second Sudanese civil war between 1983 and 2005 and the war in Darfur between 2003 and 2020, which have led to political, security and economic instability in Sudan.

Since April 2023, Sudan has been facing a new civil war involving two factions: the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), as well as their respective affiliated militias.

The war between the SAF and the RSF has exacerbated the already critical humanitarian crisis and caused acute food insecurity, including famine. In addition, there are reports of widespread human rights abuses and violations, such as:

• attacks against civilians based on their alleged affiliation or ethnicity
• sexual and gender-based violence
• targeted attacks on healthcare facilities and the energy infrastructure
• recruitment and use of children by the warring factions

Sudan has also been significantly affected by extreme weather events associated with climate change, such as floods and droughts.

According the the United Nations, more than 33.7 million people urgently need humanitarian assistance. This equals 65% of the Sudanese population. An estimated 19 million people (two out of five Sudanese) are facing high levels of acute food insecurity.

Sudan is currently facing the largest displacement crisis in the world, with 9 million people internally displaced and over 4.4 million who have fled outside Sudan, mainly to neighbouring countries. 

For the last 15 years, Sudan has consistently been among the top 10 countries with the highest number of internally displaced people by conflict and violence in the world.

UNICEF estimates that about 8.4 million children (out of the 16.5 million school-aged children) in Sudan are out of school. An estimated 65% of Sudan’s population lacks access to essential healthcare.

Shortages of food, clean water, medicines, cash and fuel, along with limited communications and electricity, are being reported throughout the country.

Source of data:

• United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (website)
• World Food Programme (website)

Council conclusions on Sudan

On 20 October 2025, the Council approved conclusions strongly condemning the ongoing conflict in Sudan which, for more than two years, has led to the loss of thousands of lives and caused immense hardship for the Sudanese people. The conflict also poses a serious threat to stability and security across the wider region.

The EU is extremely concerned about the unity, territorial integrity and stability of Sudan, with increasing fragmentation along political and ethnic lines further exacerbated by the emergence of parallel governing structures. The EU rejects any attempt to partition Sudan.

The EU emphasises that the primary responsibility for ending the conflict lies with the leadership of both the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces, and those supporting these entities. The EU has defined the following asks for all parties to the conflict:

• a constructive engagement in negotiations towards an immediate ceasefire and in a credible, inclusive peace mediation process, leading to a sustained cessation of hostilities
• ensuring rapid, unimpeded and sustainable humanitarian access and the protection of civilians across all of Sudan
• credible commitments to facilitate a genuinely inclusive, representative and independent civilian governance
• restoring and strengthening rule of law, accountability, respect for international law, including international humanitarian law and human rights law, and justice in Sudan

The EU is ready to increase its engagement with the parties to the conflict, provided there is credible progress towards achieving the EU’s key asks.

As co-chair of the Paris and London conferences for Sudan and its neighbouring countries, the EU has demonstrated its commitment to supporting the people of Sudan and to playing an active role in addressing the conflict in a comprehensive manner.

The EU will remain actively engaged, including at the highest level, and will act with one voice, promoting inclusive formats and ensuring full coordination with relevant, like-minded actors. It will continue to employ – and, where possible, intensify – the use of the full range of foreign policy instruments at its disposal, including, where appropriate, targeted restrictive measures, to achieve a peaceful resolution to the crisis.

The EU acknowledges the inherent rights of the Sudanese people to freedom, peace and justice, and reiterates its steadfast commitment to accompany Sudan in its efforts to preserve its unity and territorial integrity, and to achieve lasting stability, democracy and sustainable prosperity.

• Sudan: Council approves conclusions on the ongoing conflict (press release, 20 October 2025)

Humanitarian support for the Sudanese people

The EU and its 27 member states together constitute the biggest donor of humanitarian aid to Sudan. Between 2023 and 2026, the EU allocated €598.3 million in assistance to the most vulnerable people in Sudan.

Taking into account the support also given to neighbouring countries affected by the Sudan crisis – such as Chad, South Sudan, Ethiopia, Central African Republic, Uganda, Egypt and Libya – the overall EU contribution for the period from 2023 to 2026 amounts to €974.8 million. Those figures do not include the humanitarian assistance provided by individual EU member states.

Additionally, on 15 April 2026, at the third international Sudan conference, the EU, together with its member states, pledged over €812 million in aid to urgently respond to the country’s ongoing emergency, both within and beyond its borders.

Of that total pledge, the European Union’s contribution is €360.8 million, of which €215.5 million will support people in need in Sudan, and €145.3 million will help respond to the regional refugee crisis triggered by the war.

EU humanitarian aid provides Sudanese communities with:

food and nutrition assistance

water and sanitation

healthcare

shelter

education

cash assistance

The EU also contributes to the nutritional treatment and care of children under five, and pregnant or breastfeeding women across Sudan.

Assistance is delivered through UN agencies, international non-governmental organisations and the Red Cross movement.

Since 2023, the EU has also completed numerous Humanitarian Air Bridge flights, transporting essential supplies through Chad and Port Sudan to reach those in need. 

The EU is also promoting compliance with international humanitarian law for unhindered and safe access to humanitarian aid, the protection of civilians and the safety and security of aid workers.

• Humanitarian aid to Sudan (European Commission)

Sanctions related to Sudan

Stability and political transition of Sudan

The EU established a new sanctions framework related to Sudan in October 2023, in response to the conflict between the RSF and the SAF.

This framework targets persons and entities responsible for or involved in:

• actions or policies that threaten the peace, stability or security of Sudan
• obstructing or undermining efforts to resume the democratic political transition in Sudan
• obstructing the delivery of, access to or distribution of humanitarian assistance in Sudan
• planning, directing or committing serious human rights abuses or violations of international humanitarian law in Sudan

The sanctions apply to individuals and entities belonging or affiliated to the SAF or the RSF, as well as individuals and entities associated with them. They include travel bans for individuals, an asset freeze for individuals and entities, and a prohibition on making funds or economic resources available to those individuals and entities that are sanctioned.

18 individuals and 8 entities are sanctioned under this regime, which has been extended until 10 October 2026.

In July 2026, the EU introduced a ban on the purchase, import or transfer of gold originating in Sudan. It also banned the sale, supply, transfer or export of mercury and cyanide to Sudan. These chemicals are widely used for gold mining or gold exploitation. 

These measures are designed to curb sources of financing for the conflict and further increase pressure on those fuelling the war.

The imposition of these sanctions underlines the EU’s unwavering support for peace and accountability in Sudan. The EU, in coordination with the international community, will use its diplomatic tools and instruments, including sanctions, to seek a peaceful resolution to the conflict, to address the grave humanitarian situation in the country and beyond and to foster a lasting and inclusive political process reflecting the aspirations of the Sudanese people.

• Decision on restrictive measures in view of activities undermining the stability and political transition of Sudan (EU Official Journal)
• Regulation on restrictive measures in view of activities undermining the stability and political transition of Sudan (EU Official Journal)

Arms embargo

The EU has embargoed arms supplies to Sudan since 1994. In 2005, the EU implemented the United Nations sanctions on Sudan related to the conflict in Darfur by merging them with the existing EU arms embargo on Sudan. 

In 2011, following the independence of South Sudan, the EU amended the arms embargo to cover both Sudan and South Sudan. However, in 2014, the EU decided to separate the sanctions frameworks concerning the two countries.

Under the Sudan regime, EU nationals are prohibited from engaging in the following activities with any person or body in Sudan or for use in Sudan:

• supplying, selling, transferring or exporting arms or related military equipment of all types
• providing technical assistance, brokering and other services related to military activities and to the supply, manufacture, maintenance and use of arms and related military equipment
• financing or providing financial assistance related to military activities

The decision imposed a travel ban and an asset freeze on five individuals deemed to:

• impede the peace process
• constitute a threat to stability in Darfur and the region
• commit violations of international humanitarian or human rights law or other atrocities
• violate the arms embargo and/or be responsible for offensive military overflights in and over the Darfur region

• Decision concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Sudan (EU Official Journal)
• Regulation concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Sudan (EU Official Journal)

See also

• The European Union and Sudan (European External Action Service)
• EU diplomatic representation in Sudan